Pay-per-click (PPC) marketing is evolving fast. Search engines like Google are constantly rolling out new features and algorithms that change the way ads work. As real estate investors relying on PPC, we need to stay ahead of these shifts to keep our ad campaigns successful.

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In this post, I'll cover some of the major PPC changes coming down the pipeline and tips you can use to future-proof your marketing.

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Auto-Bidding Is Taking Over

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In the early days of PPC, marketers controlled their bids 100%. We could set the exact bid for each keyword. But over time, Google has pushed advertisers to use more automated bidding strategies. These rely on their algorithms, not manual inputs, to determine bids.

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Why? Google's algorithms can process way more data than any human. This lets them optimize bids better to drive more revenue for Google. As an advertiser, it's tempting to resist this loss of control. But the reality is, auto-bidding works better at scale than manual bids.

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So consider starting to experiment with automated bidding for your PPC campaigns now. This will prepare you as manual bidding goes away completely in the future.

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Broad Match Keywords Are the Default

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Google also wants advertisers using more broad match keywords. This is where your ad can show for misspellings and related terms beyond your exact keyword.

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Again, this opens up more potential inventory for Google to sell. But it risks less relevant traffic for you.

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To adapt, focus on using negative keywords to narrow your reach. Avoid spending on traffic that doesn’t convert. Also lean into flexible match options like phrase match that add some control vs going completely broad.

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Focus on Search Over Social

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Data privacy changes are coming across all platforms. But search marketing will likely be less impacted than social media ads. Users’ search queries directly show their intent in that moment. So search ads can remain highly targeted with limited data.

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Social media targeting relies much more on collecting data like demographics and interests. As users share less of this, social ads get more generic.

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Shift budget from social to search now to get ahead of this trend. Search traffic converts better for motivated sellers anyway.

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Feed Google More Data

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Lastly, Google’s algorithms thrive on data. The more signals you can provide, the better your auto-bids, match types, and overall performance will be.

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Look for ways to collect and aggregate data across clients and channels. Offline conversion data is especially powerful. Use tools like Google Analytics to feed this back into your accounts.

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The future of PPC is unpredictable. But by embracing the shifts happening, your marketing will be poised for success as changes pick up speed.

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